More than a dozen people are behind bars after a Texas grand jury indicted 22 alleged gang members on charges including sex trafficking, drug dealing and human smuggling.

Federal authorities revealed that 11 suspected members of the violent Southwest Cholos gang were arrested in Houston, Texas on Tuesday. Two others were already behind bars on related charges.

The FBI is seeking an additional nine suspected gang members who were charged, but are currently considered fugitives with outstanding warrants out for their arrests.

Juan Carlos Contreras-Cervantes (left) and William Alberto Lopez were among the 22 alleged gang members a Texas grand jury indicted on charges including sex and human trafficking

Melisa Bazan Dominguez (left) and Claudia Jackely Soriano-Hernandez allegedly belong to or are affiliated with the violent Southwest Cholos gang operating in and around Houston, Texas

Prosecutors said that the 22 alleged members or affiliates of the violent Southwest Cholos gang targeted undocumented immigrants and forced them into service at brothels in the Houston area and in Mexico.

The US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Texas revealed that among the 37-count indictment the gang members face are charges of conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, transportation to engage in prostitution, transportation of illegal aliens, illegal dealing of firearms and aggravated identity theft.

In addition, they will face drug charges including possession with the intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamines.

The gang's primary hub of activity was said to be the Carriage Way Apartment Complex in southwest Houston, which prosecutors said operated as a brothel, in addition to functioning as the gang's base of operations for their drug and firearms trafficking.

According to the indictment, the gang members allegedly promised those looking to be smuggled into the US that they could pay off their coyote debts by working in restaurants. But, when they arrived in Houston, the illegal immigrants were forced into prostitution at brothels operated by the gang members.

The gang members would also tattoo their names and nicknames on the illegal immigrants as a way to 'identify them as their property and demonstrate control over them,' the Attorney's Office said.

Carriage Way Apartment Complex in southwest Houston was said to a the location of the gang members' brothel and the base of operations for their firearms and drug trafficking

Authorities are seeking assistance in locating suspected gang members Anadalit Duarte (left) and Paul Moreno-Reyna, who are believed to have fled from Houston to Mexico

When the forced prostitutes failed to make enough money or refused to work, the gang members threatened and carried out violence against the women and their families.

Authorities identified at least six victims of sex trafficking, including a 14 year old. When the 11 gang members were arrested on Tuesday, seven additional victims were found in the gang brothels.

The grand jury indictment also revealed that some of the gang members were allegedly involved in non-sex trafficking human smuggling.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

At least nine illegal immigrants were said to have been smuggled into Houston through gang stash houses in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley. The immigrants, including two Chinese nationals, paid the gang members at least $40,000 to be smuggled into the US.

During Tuesday's arrests and raids, 16 additional illegal immigrants were found in the gang members' stash houses in the Houston area.

Those arrested on Tuesday appeared before US Magistrate Judge Nancy K. Johnson on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Houston Chronicle reported. The prosecution told the judge that they are risks and asked that they be held without bond, pending a hearing.

The FBI is seeking fugitive Walter Lopez, an alleged gang member wanted in connection with sex trafficking and other charges

The gang members already in custody on related charges were named as Erik Ivan 'Casa' Alvarez-Chavez, 39, and Denis Amaya 'Keiko' Calballero, 25, both of Houston. They are expected to make their appearances in federal court in the near future.

The grand jury also indicted Soriano-Hernandez, Mejia-Chavez and Contreras-Cervantes for illegally re-entering the United States following deportation, and found Javiel Gonzalez is also charged as a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 10 years imprisonment.

Alvarez-Chavez was alleged to have stolen the identity of a Salvadoran man in an effort to gain temporary protected status as a citizen of El Salvador.

If convicted of sex trafficking, the gang members will face a minimum of 15 years and to life imprisonment. The human smuggling charges carry a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.

Those charged with the drug trafficking will face up to life with a minimum of 10 years as possible punishment. And, those those convicted in the illegal trafficking of firearms face another five years imprisonment.